Every few months, I have to roll TF out. I have been on a work hard, play hard cycle long before Reebok coined it as a tagline. Solo travel is my salvation. It’s how I recharge.
There’s nothing more exciting than working on a project knowing that once you have completed it, you are heading off to some awesome destination to recharge. I recently finished a writing project with a client and celebrated by retreating to my favorite ocean to watch the sunset overlooking the Pacific in Santa Monica.
In recent months, I have visited Paris after wrapping up another big project and Seattle as a reward for getting through the hectic holiday season. In fact, I have decided that every January I would take a solo trip to recover from the holidays. I especially love night flights when I travel, red eyes when I can get them. There’s something about nursing a brandy or sipping wine while soaring over illuminated landscapes or vast, dark oceans.
Sometimes, these trips to recharge are much more low-key like jumping in my car and driving far enough to clear my head or checking into a local hotel with room service and plush bathrobes or spa days, lots and lots of spa days. These are simpler ways to recover from long days of work.
A guy I know does something similar with his entire team. He hustles seven days a week running his Baltimore food service business. Then, every few months, he takes his small staff on a work-play trip to South Beach to recharge, brainstorm more ideas for growing his business and have fun.
Another guy I know works a series of 24- or 36-hour blocks, similar to doctors and nurses, he says, and then takes a break to relax and sleep. He’s an artist and this is his creative cycle. Once he gets going on a project, he has to ride it out, sometimes not stopping for days.
For me, this time alone allows me the space to appreciate the work I have done. I can also contemplate if I am still enjoying my work or if I should pivot. I need these breaks to make sure I am still fulfilled.
During my most recent trip to Los Angeles, the minute I stepped on the red eye to head back home, I felt the sadness of my relaxing time ending. This feeling usually means I need more of a break or I need to reassess the work I’m doing. More times than not, though, these breaks are a renewal, allowing me to face the next challenges.
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